So This is Christmas?
by tarheelveteran
Summary: It's Christmas Eve. The BAU is trying to get back to Quantico in a howling blizzard. They finally stop at the only crowded hotel they could find.  Through it all, everyone learns what Christmas is all about. Two-shot, but might be longer.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of Criminal Minds or its intellectual property. I also don't own "T'was the Night Before Christmas". Please don't sue me; my lawyer's in jail. **

* * *

**Chapter 1-T'was the Night Before Christmas**

Derek Morgan and JJ held their arms to their sides, their eyes straining to see something, anything, ahead of them. The snowflakes in the headlight seemed go sideways in the biting wind. Heavy, wet snow now covered all of the windows, except for both front and back. Each hill, no matter how small or straight, seemed to be a gut check for even these seasoned FBI agents. The SUV's heater didn't seem to help much. It was well after dark, and both FBI cars crawled along, crunching and slipping through the heavy snow and ice that blanketed the Maryland hills. No streetlights. No reflective signs. Just darkness and slick roads.

"Maybe we should've stayed on 83? We would've been home by now" Morgan protested, looking at the darkened window and thinking about his princess.

"Can't. Remember that big pileup in Hagerstown?" JJ reminded him.

"Yeah. Thanks. Maybe we just should've stayed the night in Harrisburg."

"We all decided to go back tonight so that we'd be home by Christmas Eve" Hotchner reminded him.

JJ squinted at her watch. "It's past ten now. How far are we from DC?"

"Not sure. I tell you what, though. I'm waiting to see The Abominable Snowman out there" Morgan said as blew into his fingers in this bone-chilling cold.

The FBI radio beeped from the dashboard. Holding tightly to the wheel with one hand, Hotchner picked it up. "Yeah."

David Rossi held the steering wheel just as tightly with one hand with his handheld in the other, stiffening up every time they slid. "How are you guys doing up there?"

Hotchner tightened his lips. "I can hardly stay on the road."

"Harrisburg being about an hour behind us, we still would've had to wait another three hours before they got the interstate cleared" Reid pointed out. "Also, given the rate the snow is falling and the time it would've taken to clear away that accident, I estimate that by taking this road, we'd be home an hour earlier than taking the interstate."

"Thanks a lot, Reid" Emily moaned. "Did you take into account the icy roads?"

"No."

"He's right" Rossi said as he squinted into the storm. "And we might have had to abandon our cars on the freeway." His windshield had begun to fog up, even with the defroster at full blast. Still holding the radio, he reached forward with his elbow and tried to wipe the fog off. .

"You thinking what I'm thinking?" Hotchner said.

"That we better stop for the night? Yeah. I can't see a thing out there."

Hotchner squinted and leaned forward while the wipers squealed with every pass, trying to keep the windshield clear. "I don't know this area, and according to the GPS, there isn't much for miles around."

"We're gonna have to stop the first place we come to" Rossi insisted. "If we don't we could be stuck somewhere, and you know what that means."

"Yeah, I do. Okay, everybody be on the lookout for a hotel, a bed and breakfast, anything."

"Think the best we're gonna do is somebody's barn right now" Morgan said.

"Relax. We'll find something" Hotchner said.

JJ sighed. "I hate being stuck. This being Christmas Eve and all."

"Couldn't help it" Morgan said. "That case in Harrisburg went overtime. The hotels there are probably all full, and everything else is closed for the holidays."

The blonde agent nodded slightly. "I know. This just wasn't my idea of Christmas."

"If the roads are clear, we'll take off for Quantico first thing in the morning" Hotchner reassured her. "Sound good, Rossi?"

"Sounds like a plan."

"Hey! Right there! To the right" Reid said, pointing his finger. "The Hill Country Inn?"

The hotel that seemed to wait for them seemed like a beacon of hope right now. The building had exterior rooms, snow-covered railing, and a white blob that would normally be a swimming pool. It resembled one of those hotels from the sixties. What stood out to them was the number of snow-topped cars in the parking lot, seeming all crowded together.

"Looks like a popular place" Emily pointed out. "Hope we can get a couple of rooms."

"It's gonna have to do, Rossi insisted as he turned the SUV past the faded sign. "We can't take any chances on finding another one."

The BAU shivered and brushed snow off themselves as they hurried through the snowy driveway and sighed with relief in the warmth.

Hotchner, Rossi, Morgan, Emily, Spencer and JJ looked around them. People were sitting against walls, or in front of the fireplace, tucked under blankets and pillows. Others stretched out on the faded lobby chairs. Some in the hallways were reading or eating from those small potato chip bags. Somewhere else a toilet could be heard flushing.

"May I help you?"

Hotchner finally looked at the short, middle-aged woman that stood expectantly at the faded counter. She was stocky, her gray hair tied into a ponytail. The age on her face told the tale of running a hotel for decades.

"Uh yes" Hotchner finally said as he laid his FBI credit card on the counter. "We're with the FBI. We were hoping you'd have maybe three rooms. If not, we'll just take whatever you have available."

The woman picked up his credit card, shook her head at it, and placed it back down in front of them. The FBI didn't impress her right now. "Sorry, Agent, we're all filled up."

"But we're stuck out there" Emily protested.

She motioned at the lobby. "See all those people? So are they. Everybody's gonna be here until the roads get cleared! Now you're welcome to stay if you want. I got blankets and pillows, but this is it."

"How much?" Rossi asked as he glanced around again.

The woman sniffed. "No charge."

Resigned to their fate, Emily stretched out on the carpeted floor. "Well, I don't see what choice we have. If we sleep in the SUV's we might run out of gas or freeze to death."

Wrapped in their blankets and pillows, the BAU lay on the floor just under the red-ribboned Christmas tree, the only cheery thing about this place. "Well, it's Christmas Eve, but it could've been worse" JJ reminded them. "Maybe we can get some breakfast in the morning."

"Or maybe we'll make it home tomorrow morning" Emily said.

"Well, we won't make it if we don't get some sleep" Hotchner said before he loosened his tie and put his jacket over his head. "Well, good night everybody." A chorus of good nights met him.

Derek Morgan draped his coat under his head and closed his eyes, his arms folded tightly.

It was just minutes later that Morgan felt eyes on him. With bleary eyes, he flipped onto his back and looked. Two boys and a girl stood just inches from his body.

"Are you really the FBI?" one boy asked excitedly.

"Uh, yeah." Morgan was exhausted by now, but he couldn't help but be a little flattered by the attention. "Shouldn't you be asleep right now?"

"Our parents are sleeping in the hallway" the girl said matter-of-factly. "They can't read us a bedtime story, so we couldn't sleep."

One boy handed him a big, colorful book. "Would you read us a story?"

"Uh, I don't know. Kinda late, isn't it?"

"Please?"

Morgan could hear snickers around him. With a grin Rossi peeked out from under his jacket. "Yeah. Go ahead, Morgan. Read them a story."

With a tired sigh, the profiler sat up and opened the colored book. "T'was the Night Before Christmas."

All three children sat down around him, eyes fixated on him as he opened the book. "T'was the night before Christmas. And all through the house. Not a creature was stirring. Not even a mouse." From his peripheral vision, he could see more bleary-eyed children now walked up and sat around him, fascinated.

"Looks like you have an audience, Morgan" Emily laughed from under her coat.

He gave his colleagues a tight smile. "The stockings were hung at the chimney with care. In hopes that Saint Nicholas soon would be there."

The restless silence was then shattered.

"Help me! My wife's having a baby!"


	2. Unto Us a Child is Born

**Disclaimer: See Chapter 1 (Although I also don't own The First Noel)**

**A/N: This is the last chapter. Thank you very much for all the reviews. I was humbled.  
I wish a Merry Christmas to those of you who observe it. **

* * *

**Chapter 2—Unto Us a Child is Born**

As a stunned silence fell over the lobby, the BAU instinctively bolted up from the floor.

"I need a doctor! Please! Somebody call an ambulance!"

The manager pointed in their direction. "I heard this young fella say he was a doctor."

At just that moment, a black-haired man jumped up from the wall. "I'm a nurse. Let's go, Doc."

Spencer Reid put his hands up in the air in protest. "Wait a minute! I'm a-"

"This way."

Spencer found himself being hustled down the hallway. "I told you, I'm a different kind of doctor." Before he could explain everything, he found himself being run up the stairs.

"It's this room!" the new father said.

The male nurse poked his head out to the hallway. "Ma'am, we need some warm water and towels!"

All ears in the lobby could hear "Oh _God!_"

"_Keep pushing! He's almost there! Not much longer!"_

"_Come on, honey! You're doing fine!"_

After what seemed an eternity, a baby could be heard crying. Those in the hallway applauded.

Minutes later, an exhausted Reid stumbled out into the hallway, looking like he'd been run over by a truck.

"You okay, kid?" Rossi said, holding him by the forearms.

"I only read about obstetrics in books."

"So you helped deliver the baby?" Hotch wanted to know.

Reid nodded tiredly. "That nurse did most of the work. I just followed instructions." With that he sat down on the floor.

The manager approached them. "'Scuse me, Agents?"

"Yes Ma'am" Hotchner said.

"I'd like you to follow me. Bring your blankets and pillows.

Bedding under their arms, the BAU followed the lady behind the desk, into a dark hallway where she unlocked the door and stood back. "You can all sleep in my apartment tonight."

"Ma'am, you sure?" Morgan asked.

"It's the least I could do after all of you helped that poor lady."

"Well, uh, thanks" Emily said. "That's very kind of you."

"But that young doctor gets the bed" she insisted. "Oh, and uh, help yourself to anything you want in the kitchen. I have some eggnog in the refrigerator."

The apartment looked like it had been a hotel or conference room at one point. There was a simple full-size bed and a small kitchen. The refrigerator looked like it had been borrowed from another office.

"Well, you heard her, Spencer" Emily said. "Take the bed."

"Uh, actually I think Emily and JJ should have it. I'll sleep on the floor with everybody else.

"Rossi, either you or Morgan sleep on the couch" Hotchner suggested. "I'll stay on the floor."

"That' be wrong, Hotch!" Morgan protested.

"Fine. You and Rossi decide who gets the couch." Not arguing with anyone on his team, Hotchner lay down on the shag carpet, tucking the blanket over himself.

JJ stretched and yawned. "Reid, you ever deliver a baby before?"

"No."

There had been too much excitement that night. The BAU each lay on their backs and stared at the ceiling.

"I don't know" JJ said tiredly. "It still doesn't feel like Christmas to me."

"Yeah" Emily said. "Christmas is supposed to be about being with family. Christmas tree, and a warm fire in the fireplace."

"Actually, Jesus was born sometime in the spring" Reid told them. "Instead of the year zero, like a lot of historians say, He was born between eight and four BC. Christmas in December dates back to one of two ancient Roman celebrations. One was Saturnus, a week-long festival held before winter solstice, and another celebration called Saturnalia. Both were in honor to the god Saturn. Both holidays started as morale boosters after the Roman Army had suffered a crushing defeat. Saturnalia celebrations could go as long as ten days. During this time, the Romans would exchange gifts-things like candles, parrots, hunting knives, or knuckle bones."

"I'll pass on the knucke bones" JJ said.

During that time, the social order was reversed. The slaves became the masters, while the masters became the slaves. But then in the fourth century, when the emperor Constantine converted to Christianity, he insisted that Christmas be celebrated around the same time as Saturnalia. Not long after, Christianity was declared Rome's official religion."

"Yeah, but Christmas is when you're supposed to be curled up with your honey under the mistletoe" Morgan moaned.

"Well, now wait a minute" Hotchner said, sitting up. "This really feels like Christmas."

"How?" Morgan asked drily.

"Think about it. Hard trip. No room at the inn. A baby boy was born tonight. Wasn't that the first Christmas?"

Emily chuckled. "You are so right, Hotch." She had a smile in her voice. "And JJ and I are surrounded by wise men."

"Traditionally, they were called the Three Wise Men, but the Bible doesn't say how many wise men there were. It's only because three gifts were given, gold, myrrh and Frankincense that everybody assumes there were only three" Spencer told them.

"I'm gonna take a look out the window" Morgan said as he stood up and opened the blinds. "Hey, check it out. It stopped snowing." He stared for a long time. "Whoa! I-don't-believe this."

"What is it?" Rossi wanted to know.

Still holding the blinds open, Morgan turned to them with a deer-in-the-headlights expression. "Come here and take a look at this."

One by one, Hotchner, Rossi, JJ and Emily peered out the window.

"I don't believe it" Emily whispered. "That's—"

"A bright star in the East" Hotchner told them. "Still think it's not Christmas?"

In the low, relaxing lighting and the quiet, sleepiness finally caught up with them.

"Merry Christmas, everyone" Hotchner said.

"You too, Hotch" Morgan said. "Hey, Merry Christmas, everybody." He heard a chorus of "Merry Christmas" back to him. One by one they finally fell asleep.

* * *

Daylight peeked in just as the BAU heard a knock on the door. "May I come in?"

"Yeah, come in" Hotchner said sleepily, his head still on the pillow.

An exhausted manager stepped into the room. "The medics are here. The parents want to thank that young doctor fella. The roads are all clear, and the parking lot will be soon. I'd let you stay longer, but I've had a rough night myself. A lot of people are leaving, so we'll have a room for you."

"No thanks, Ma'am" Hotchner assured her. "We're leaving in a few minutes. We have to get back to Washington. Thank you for letting us use your room."

"Any time. Have a safe trip."

Outside everyone bundled up and looked up at the bright blue sky with a smile. Still a brisk, biting wind, but at least the sun was out. While they waited for the black SUV's to warm up, Hotchner and Rossi cleared the snow off the windows with their coat sleeves.

Spencer Reid was wrapped up in his coat, still shivering, as the medics wheeled out mother and son, putting them in the ambulance as quickly as possible.

The father walked over. "Hey, I can't thank you for everything you did" he said.

"I really didn't do much."

"Want to see our new son?"

"Sure" Hotchner said.

Gently he folded back the warm blanket to let them see the tiny, pink sleeping baby. "My wife and I couldn't find a name for him." He looked at Dr. Reid now. "Well, we're naming him Spencer. Spencer Reid Boatright."

"Well, that's very kind of you" Spencer said.

As the ambulance finally pulled away, Morgan separated himself from the team and opened his cell phone. "Merry Christmas, Princess!"

Penelope Garcia smiled at her phone. "Merry Christmas, my mistletoe. Where are you?"

"We got stuck in Maryland. On our way home now. In about an hour, I'll be standing under your mistletoe."

"I wanted so much to have you wrapped in a red ribbon under my tree. Sorry you missed Christmas Eve."

Morgan smiled at the phone. "No I didn't. Trust me. I'll see you when we get back."

"It's ready! Let's get in!" Rossi yelled.

One by one the BAU piled into the black SUV's. With that, they disappeared down the road.

_The First Noel, the Angels did say  
Was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay  
In fields where they lay keeping their sheep  
On a cold winter's night that was so deep.  
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel  
Born is the King of Israel!_

_This star drew nigh to the northwest_  
_O'er Bethlehem it took its rest_  
_And there it did both Pause and stay_  
_Right o'er the place where Jesus lay._  
_Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel_  
_Born is the King of Israel!_


End file.
